Engineering Shift Manager - Desford

We are looking for a proactive Engineering Shift Manager to join our Desford Team.
About the role
The Engineering Shift Manager takes ownership of safe, reliable and effective engineering maintenance delivery on shift, leading and developing the engineering team to support production continuity, plant availability and continuous improvement. This is a first-line management position replacing the previous Team Leader role, with clear responsibility for workload allocation, safety, team capability, performance, conduct and consistent engineering standards. The role requires a visible, hands-on leader who can support complex technical issues while prioritising, coordinating and improving the work of the shift team, in line with Forterra's safety procedures and engineering transformation objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Take shift-level ownership of breakdown response, safety, and continuity of production across the shift
Lead, organize, and allocate the daily workload of the shift engineering team
Provide first-line leadership of the shift team, including coaching, attendance and return-to-work management, performance reviews, capability and conduct issues, and disciplinary processes within delegated authority and Forterra HR procedures
Lead execution and improvement of planned, preventive and TPM maintenance activities on shift, reducing reactive maintenance and improving equipment reliability and availability
Report out on shift maintenance team activities to the Engineering Manager
Ensure team works to high standards of health & safety to meet or exceed legislative requirements & company standards
Take ownership of CMMS compliance and data quality on shift, ensuring accurate work orders, breakdown records, failure codes, corrective actions and maintenance completion reporting
Ensure shift team are filling out Major Breakdown Reports as required
Ensure effective engineering shift handovers, communicating outstanding faults, equipment condition, safety risks, maintenance priorities and follow-up actions to incoming teams and production stakeholders
Use CMMS and operational data to identify repeat failures, support root cause analysis and implement sustainable corrective actions
Lead the shift contribution to agreed engineering KPIs, including plant availability, downtime, planned-maintenance compliance, work-order completion and maintenance backlog; monitor MTTR and MTBF where measured
Work closely with Production Shift Managers to balance immediate output requirements with safe, sustainable maintenance priorities
Develop shift engineers through regular coaching, skills assessment, training plans and consistent standards of technical and behavioural performance
Support the Engineering Manager in embedding change, standard work and improved maintenance planning and scheduling across shifts
Monitor engineering and production performance, identify recurring equipment losses and escalate emerging reliability or safety risks promptly
Ensure correct spare parts are identified and fitted to operate safely
Lead and coordinate safe fault diagnosis and breakdown recovery, providing hands-on technical support for complex issues and escalating where appropriate
Ensure that the team always follow the site PPE policy
Ensure high standards of housekeeping on shift
Report all irregularities/health & safety issues to plant management team
Adherence to site LOTOTO procedure; take a lead role where complex isolation is required
Deputise for the Engineering Manager when authorised, within agreed decision-making and escalation limits
Lead a team of four shift engineers, spanning New Starter, Level 1 and Level 2 grades, with a proposed Leading Hand role on shift (scope and reporting responsibilities to be confirmed)
Coordinate maintenance activities on shift, including delegated responsibility for external contractors on site during the shift
Support production output, quality and yield targets through safe, timely and reliable engineering maintenance, without compromising engineering or safety standards
Lead and sustain continuous improvement activities on shift, with documented ownership, actions and measurable outcomes

About you
We are looking for someone who has:
Essential

Demonstrable experience leading a technical or maintenance team in an automated manufacturing environment, including workload planning, performance management, coaching and appropriate people processes.
Recognised electrical or mechanical engineering qualification, with practical multidisciplinary maintenance knowledge and the ability to lead safe fault diagnosis and maintenance activities.

Desirable qualifications and development

HNC, HND or degree in a relevant engineering discipline
Recognised leadership or supervisory qualification (for example ILM Level 3 or equivalent)
IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent health and safety qualification

Additional Experience and Capabilities

Experience of CMMS work-order discipline, preventive maintenance, reliability improvement, root cause analysis, shift handovers and cross-functional working is highly desirable. The successful candidate must combine technical credibility with visible first-line leadership, a commitment to safe working and the ability to establish consistent standards and support change.

We don’t expect you to tick every box. If you bring the mindset, curiosity and drive to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you.